08.01.2023

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Today’s Forecast

47º | Mostly cloudy | 7% chance of rain
Sunrise 8:00 a.m. | Sunset 5:39 p.m.

Keep the ballet alive

Louisville Ballet seeking $3 million to stay on stage

Louisville Ballet was founded in 1952. | Photo by Louisville Ballet

“The Brown-Forman Nutcracker” is a holiday tradition in Louisville. The Louisville Ballet opened its first full-length production of the winter classic in December 1963 — but if the company doesn’t raise $3 million, the show might remain in the Land of Snow.

“It is — in my opinion — one of the most beautifully choreographed and designed Nutcrackers in the United States,” said Louisville Ballet CEO Leslie Smart.

Leslie would know. The former dancer is also niece to one of the original dancers of the Louisville Ballet, so keeping the organization going is more than just a job. The task has, however, become increasingly more challenging.

The company continued paying dancers amid pandemic closures, and last season’s weather-related Nutcracker cancellations led to a $250,000 loss. In an effort to recover from these setbacks, Louisville Ballet has set the multi-million, year-long fundraising goal to back its operations — which include performances, classes at The Louisville Ballet School, and its free Ballet Bound program.

The official ballet of Kentucky has already taken a few cost-cutting measures. These include using recorded music as opposed to having the Louisville Orchestra play during this season’s Nutcracker performances, and using existing costumes + scenery for “Giselle.”

“We will ensure that the fifth-oldest ballet in the country — a company with a 72-year history — remains,” Leslie said. "[Shutting down] is not an option. As a former dancer, I have great tenacity and determination.”

She urges the community to support Louisville Ballet, adding that a critical component of generating income is subscription packages, which can include tickets for the full five-show season, or a trio of select performances. “You don’t necessarily need a subscription for the series,” Leslie added. “You can choreograph your own through single tickets, but we do need the community’s support.”

For more information and ways to help Louisville Ballet, email Leslie or call 502-583-3150.

Events

Tuesday, Aug. 1

Trivia Tuesdays | Tuesday, Aug. 1 | 7-9 p.m. | Off the Rails Tasting Room and Wine Depot, 2118 Bruce Ave., Louisville | Free | Win bragging rights + a little cash for correctly answering queries from Hein Sight Trivia.

Wednesday, Aug. 2

Candlebox - The Long Goodbye Tour | Wednesday, Aug. 2 | 8 p.m. | Mercury Ballroom, 611 S. 4th St., Louisville | $35 | This farewell tour will feature a career retrospective of the band’s eight albums.

Thursday, Aug. 3

Salt Scrub Workshop | Thursday, Aug. 3 | 6:30-8 p.m. | Bliss Home, 1108 Lyndon Ln., Louisville | $45 | Blend your own custom scent to create a rejuvenating sea salt body scrub + body butter.

Friday, Aug. 4

Wine & Food Pairing Night | Friday, Aug. 4 | 7-9 p.m. | Old 502 Winery, 915 E. Liberty St., Louisville | $50-$90 | Savor sips and bites of signature wines paired with chef-made hors d’oeuvres.

Saturday, Aug. 5

Breakfast with the Beasts | Saturday, Aug. 5 | 9-11 a.m. | Louisville Zoo, 1100 Trevilian Way, Louisville | $25-$35 | Enjoy an exclusive zoo keeper talk + a variety of breakfast treats while saying “good morning” to some of your favorite animals.

Sunday, Aug. 6

The Tales of Hoffmann | Sunday, Aug. 6 | 3-6 p.m. | Amy Cralle Theatre, 1700 Loftus Cir., Louisville | $10-$35 | This French comedic opera is based on five short stories by German romantic author E.T.A. Hoffmann.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Drink

🚰 6 things to know about Louisville’s drinking water

An overhead view of the Louisville Water Tower.

The historic Louisville Water Tower will reopen in 2024. | Courtesy of Louisville Water

ICYMI, August is National Water Quality Month, so we’re feeling extra thankful for Louisville Pure Tap®, the high-quality, safe water that Louisville Water Co. provides to nearly one million people in our community.

Do you know your water, Louisville? Let’s find out:

Our drinking water comes from the Ohio River.
Louisville Water Co. first delivered drinking water to our community in 1860.
Derby City has been recognized multiple times for having the best-tasting tap water in America, thanks to Pure Tap.
Louisville Water has received zero water quality violations for 16 years in a row and counting. Maybe because scientists perform 200+ drinking water tests every day.
The iconic 185-ft Louisville Water Tower, recognized as a National Historic Landmark, is undergoing major renovations and will reopen to visitors in 2024.
For just a penny, you can fill up an 8-oz glass 107 times.

So sip back, relax, and refill your reusable bottles — this month and beyond — with our delicious local water.

Drink like a local

News Notes

Opening

Koko + Rae Caribbean Kitchen is opening in the Highlands at 1511 Bardstown Rd. The fast-casual restaurant, which is painted bright blue, is slated to begin welcoming customers on Friday, Aug. 18. The menu includes traditional Jamaican dishes like jerk chicken and American staple fusions, like an Oxtail Grill Cheese sandwich. (Louisville Business First)

Traffic

Overnight lane closures on the Lincoln and Kennedy bridges will take place Sunday, July 30-Thursday, Aug. 3 + Sunday, Aug. 6-Friday Aug. 11. The closures will be in effect nightly 8 p.m.-5 a.m. as new toll equipment is installed. (Spectrum News)

Health

Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates successfully flew its first unattended donor kidney on a perfusion pump from Louisville to the University of Mississippi Medical Center. New technology allowed for the kidney to be flown without a medical team.

Shop

Six Sisters Boutique is celebrating six years in NuLu with a party from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 4. Attendees can purchase $200 gift cards for $150 while supplies last + enjoy 20% off storewide all weekend.

Sports

Racing Louisville is the second of four teams to secure a UKG NWSL Challenge Cup playoff spot. Seattle’s OL Reign will also advance; the other two teams are TBD. The semifinals will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 6, with the final game to follow on Saturday, Sept. 9.

Plan Ahead

To celebrate 20 years of All Hallows Eve, the Ultimate Halloween Parade & Festival is bringing back the night parade + extending spooky fun to a four-day fete at Lynn Family Stadium. From Thursday, Oct. 26 to Sunday, Oct. 29, attendees can experience a haunted house, balloon glows, musical performances, and more.

Event

Stomp the mental health stigma

Help stomp out the mental health stigma

DJ on a stage at an outdoor festival looking out toward people dancing

The Big Stomp will feature 30+ musical acts over two days. | Photo by The Big Stomp

The Big Stomp is more than just a music festival. The two-day event — formally known as “PeteFest” — also features ways for attendees to learn about mental health.

After Louisvillian Molly Jones lost her son, Pete, to suicide in 2016, she and Pete’s siblings formed The Pete Foundation to champion mental health. Within two weeks of creating the nonprofit, the Jones family also came up with the idea for a music festival. Dubbed The Big Stomp, the event’s goal is to stomp the stigma around mental health.

Tickets start at $30, and all proceeds benefit The Pete Foundation. Admission includes access to:

30+ musical acts across two stages, including headliners Lettuce and Bahamas
Morning yoga, meditation, and mindfulness workshops
Food + drink, including a mocktail lounge
Hammock havens to rest among the trees in the Jones Fields Nature Preserve
Bio-hacking tools that provide mental health benefits

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Lennie

From the editor

I didn’t appreciate ballet until I moved to Louisville. As a PNC Broadway in Louisville season ticket holder, I’d always been a fan of plays and musicals — but I didn’t get into ballet until I saw “The Brown-Forman Nutcracker.” If you have yet to see it, I highly recommend marking your calendar for the December production.

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